Reproductions for Qalipu First Nation

Waltes game and crooked knife

Earlier this week, I completed work on a few different artifact reproductions, tools, and games for the Qalipu First Nation. Some of the pieces, like this waltes set and crooked knife are based on Mi'kmaq culture from Newfoundland and the Maritimes.  Others are Maritime Archaic and Beothuk reproductions for use in a mock dig program run on Newfoundland's west coast. The pin and cup games are more generic and have analogs in many different cultures in this part of the world.

Crooked knife. This knife is made from a steel file, wood handle and waxed cotton thread.  I used several historic Newfoundland Mi'kmaq crooked knives as references for this piece, especially this one in the Canadian Museum of History collection.  Other groups in the Province made similar knives, but one of the characteristics that makes the Mi'kmaq version unique is how the blade is secured into the handle.  The blade is fit into a slot on the top of the handle and tied into place.  In Labrador, it seems more common to cut a socket out of the side of the handle, insert the blade, close the socket with a wooden plug and then lash everything together.  The blades in Labrador may also have a bit more of a curve to them at the tip.

The ochre stained pieces are all Maritime Archaic; two bird headed bone pins, a bird headed antler comb, and a bird-bone flute.  The two broken arrowheads are Beothuk or Little Passage style.

Pin and cup games made from long bones and antler for the cups and antler for the pins.  I used braided artificial sinew for the cord.

Photo Credits: Tim Rast